Art in the Dark Exhibits Student Art Work

Art in the Dark, an amateur-style art exhibition sponsored by the Creative Outlet Committee, part of Carolina Union Activities Board, allowed students of any study or background to showcase their artistic abilities.

Students used a diverse range of mediums -- black-and-white photography, sculpture, still-life paintings, digital photography and hanging sculpture.

"The plan for this exhibit was to create an atmosphere that is wholly different from a gallery or any sort of permanent setup in that it is less formal and more about celebrating student creativity in a community atmosphere," said Claire Anderson, founder of the Creative Outlet Committee.

The exhibition was simple and effective, with the artwork presented on wooden boards that were illuminated as it grew dark. Art in the Dark offered students an opportunity to present their work in a relaxed, open environment.

Though only about a dozen artists entered their work, the exhibition was an impressive display of talent and creativity. Though the low amount of submissions precluded a selection process, this did not seem to be a problem.

"The people who contributed work all had very impressive things to submit," said Anderson, who believed students put their work through "a sort of self-selection." "And because the nature of the show was not a competitive one, I was happy with all of the work that I got and very pleased with the turnout."

Contributors such as Valerie Bruchon, a senior studio art major, viewed having a creative outlet such as Art in the Dark as a great asset.

"Sometimes people assume art is uninteresting or too esoteric to be worth their time," Bruchon said. "I think a project like this, one that takes student artwork and displays it in a very public place on campus, is valuable."

But some may still be wondering, Why have the exhibition in the dark?

"The decision to let the exhibit continue through the evening was simply because I thought it could be very beautiful to see this artwork lit up," Anderson said.

The illumination was capable of more than just creating atmosphere -- the lights in the Pit, which typically is sparsely populated after sunset, served to attract students passing by.

But Anderson said she hoped that the exhibit did more than just pique people's curiosity. She said that the Creative Outlet Committee would like to begin having Art in the Dark a few times a year -- which would require an increase in submissions.

Students who missed this opportunity the first time might still have a chance to show off their creativity to their peers -- and perhaps help establish Art in the Dark as a permanent campus event.

The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.